Package and method of making same



June 23, 1964 J BARNES 3,138,252.

PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Jan. 1'7, 1962 INVEN TOR. J19! 5 19. iii/V55 SM M HIT'ORA EY lents.

United States Patent Ofilice 3, l 33,252 Patented June. 23, 1964 3,138,252 PACKAGE AND METHOD 6F MAKING SAME .iarnes A. Barnes, 265 Chatham Drive, Dayton, Dhio Filed Jan. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 166,868 8 Ciairns. (Cl. 296-62) This invention relates to packages and methods of making, and has particular although not limited reference to the packaging of frangible sheet material such as glass.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of packages, whereby such packages may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of order.

A further object of the invention is to present a package and method of making having general utility in the protection of packaged articles from damage due to stress, impact, exposure and like causes.

Another object of the invention is to achieve a package and method as described materially reducing packaging costs, especiallyin the packing for shipping of frangible sheet material.

A further object of the invention is to obviate the need for crates, assembly tools and the like in the packaging of frangible sheet material, a feature of the invention residing in the use of simplified wrappings applied by hand and without the need of special skills.

Still another object of the invention is to present a packaging means and method utilizing continuous tape as the wrapping material and aifording a reinforced protection, automatically arrived at, for peripheral edges and corners of the wrapped article. A further object of the invention is to provide a pack-. age and method of fabrication possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations tl1ere of, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equiva- Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a package formed in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the package of FIG. 1, portions of the multiple wrappings being broken away to show the relationship of adjacent layers to one another, the package being shown in an intermediate stage of completion, the top layer or wrapping being omitted;

and

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2, showing the top layer applied in part to illustrate how incomplete underlying wrappings are. progressively formed in the defining of the package structure. v

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is illustratively disclosed as a packaging means and method for glass in "panel or sheet form which conventionally is shippedfrom special provision made for protecting the edges of the several glass sheets.

In accordance with the instant invention, however, glass intermediate layer deflect the free portions 15 and 16 of of the package.

. 2 sembly which as a unit is stronger and more resistant. to

unequal stress and the like than could be the case with individual, separated sheet components. Further in accordance with the invention the unitary assemblyso formed is wrapped, using a continuous flexible tape ll having a width substantially less than either the length or width of the unitary sheet assembly. Multiple convolutions of the tape accordingly are required to cover the wrapped article, the tape being applied in spiral overlapping windings, starting at one end or side of the article and proceeding to the opposite end or side. The tape is held tautly or tensioned as it is wound and hence conforms to the contour of the wrapped article, forming a closely encasing wrapping layer thereon.

Still further, wrapping layers as described are applied over one another and in transverse relation to the adjacent layer or layers to form a multi-ply package. Within such package the contained article is bound on its top and bottom surfaces and on its peripheral edges. illustrated instance three layers i2, i3 and 14 are used.

The windings of bottom layer 12 may encircle the article from side to side thereof, as shown, and progress in an endwise direction. Immediate layer 13 is formed by relatively transverse windings which encircle the article from end to end and progress in a sidewise direction. Top layer lid provides windings generally parallel to those of bottom layer 12 and transverse with respect to intermediate layer 13.

Opposite ends of underlying wrappings or layers are, in the wrapping process, folded over into protective confinlag relation to the peripheral edges of the wrapped article. To provide for this, the ends of such underlying layers are disposed in projecting unsupported relation to respective adjacent edges of the wrapped article. Thus, in applying first or bottom layer 12, the initial winding or windings are applied to the end of the sheet assembly in a manner to. provide free and unsupported portions 15 and 16 in advance of such end. Similarly, as the successive windings reach the opposite end of the sheet assembly, additional turns of the tape are made to provide like free and unsupported portions at such opposite end. The second orintermediate layer 13 is formed by windings transverse to those of the underlying layer 12 and which start at one side of the sheet assembly and progress to the other side. In the course thereof, and as a result of the applied tension by which the tape is made to follow the contours of the wrapped article, the windings of such the bottom layer 12 inward at both ends of the package. Such inward deflection or folding of the portions Hand 16 is a progressive operation proceeding from side to side It achieves, as the intermediate layer 13 is completed, an overlapped closed joint 17 at each end of the package, which joint is overlaid and maintained by the windings of the intermediate layer. 7 The latter. is,- according to the present embodiment, similarly fashioned to provide projecting unsupported end-portions l3 and 19' at each side of the package. These are in turn deflected and folded inward upon application of the windings of sheets 19 are stacked one upon another, forming an as- 7 top layer 14. Asealed joint 21 thereby is formed'a't each .i iside of the package, overlaid and maintained by the tape convolutions of top layer 14. These convolutions, inasmuchas'the ends of the package are effectively closed I by underlying layers 12 and 13, may begin and'endfat or near to such ends.

The arrangement is one providing a protective wrapping for the assembly of sheets it obviating relative shifting movement of thesheets and shielding the glass itself and edgesthereoffrom damage in handling and transport. The tape forming the wrapping may bemade In the adhesively coated or, in the absence thereof, suitable provision may be made for securing the ends of the tape comprised in the individual layers.

A completely wrapped package might be achieved by omitting the top layer 14 and by forming layer 13 to eliminate the projecting ends 18 and 19. The three ply wrapping achieves better qualities of strength and pro tection, however, which may be increased by the superimposing of additional layers. formed in the manner described extend to and include the corners of the package, there being at these points, as well as along the edges of the sheet assembly, a reinforoed protective covering reducing the likelihood of damage.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms of modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A package comprised of multi-ply wrappings defining an outline of predetermined length and width, consisting of plural layers of continuous flexible tape, each layer consisting of multiple windings in spiral overlapping relation with the windings of adjacent layers being transverse to one another, the windings of underlying layers having convolutions arranged to provide ends which pro ject relative to respectively opposite edges of said outline, said projecting ends being turned down and contained by the windings of an overlying layer to conform to said predetermined outline.

2. A package comprised of multi-ply wrappings and conforming to the outline of a wrapped article, consisting of plural layers of continuous flexible tape, each layer consisting of multiple windings in spiral overlapping relation, the Winding of underlying layers starting at one end outwardly of one edge of the outline of the wrapped article and continuing to have its opposite end project outwardly of the opposite edge of the outline of the wrapped article and the windings of adjacent layers being angularly dis- The joints 17 and 21,

other opposing sides of the article, characterized by a further layer of continuous flexible tape wound on said article over said other layer and angularly disposed to said other layer, the windings of said further layer folding the projecting portions of the windings of said other layer inward over respective opposing sides of the article.

5. A method of packaging a multi-sided article, consisting of the steps of wrapping the article in a first layer of continuous flexible tape wound closely on the article to conform to the outline thereof, the windings of said layer being in a spiral overlapping relation and projecting beyond opposing sides of the article, and winding another layer of tape over the first said layer in enclosing relation to said opposing sides of the article, the windings of said other layer being made to conform to the outline of the article and enforcing an inward folding of unsupported p llojecting portions of said first layer at said opposing s1 es.

6. A method according to claim 5, characterized by i the additional step of applying a further layer of contrnuous flexible tape wound over the said other layer in parallel relation to the first said layer, said further layer enforcing an inward folding of unsupported projecting portions of said other layer at other opposing sides of the article.

7. A method of packaging multiple sheets of frangible material, consisting of the steps of assembling the sheets in stacked superposed relation, and wrapping the assembly so formed in plural contour following layers of a flexible cont nuous tape, the windings of successive layers being in directions transverse to one another and the windings of underlying layers being in projecting unsupported relation to adjacent sides of the sheet assembly, the applicaposed to one another whereby overlying layers fold the V projecting ends of respective underlying layers inward over the edges of the outline of the wrapped article.

3. A wrapping for a generally flat multi-sided article, consisting of a layer of continuous flexible tape wound on said article in spiral overlapping fashion to conform to the outlines of the article, the windings of said layer tion of overlying layers folding the projecting portions of underlying layers inward over the sides of the sheet assembly.

8. A method of packaging multiple sheets of frangible material, consisting of the steps of assembling the sheets in stacked superposed relation, applying to said assembly a wrapping in the form of a flexible continuous tape, said tape being wound on said assembly starting at one end to project a portion of the initial windings outwardly of the assembly at said one end and proceeding in spiral overlapping fashion to the opposite end of the assembly where the tape continues to be wound to project portions of the final windings outwardly of the assembly at said opposite end, applying to the assembly a second wrapping of flexible continuous tape, the windings of said second wrapping being applied transversely of the windings of the first said wrapping and encompassing the projecting portions of the first said wrapping, said second wrapping being wound closely to conform to the contours of the assembly and folding the projecting portions of said first wrapping inward over respective ends of the assembly, said second wrapping being applied like the first said wrapping to have end portions in projecting relation to other opposing ends of said assembly, and applying a third wrapping of flexible continuous tape in transverse relation to the second said wrapping, said third wrapping being wound closely on the assembly and folding the said end portions of said second wrapping inward upon said other opposing ends of said assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,447,331 Angier et al Mar. 6, 1923 

1. A PACKAGE COMPRISED OF MULTI-PLY WRAPPINGS DEFINING AN OUTLINE OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH AND WIDTH, CONSISTING OF PLURAL LAYERS OF CONTINUOUS FLEXIBLE TAPE, EACH LAYER CONSISTING OF MULTIPLE WINDINGS IN SPIRAL OVERLAPPING RELATION WITH THE WINDINGS OF ADJACENT LAYERS BEING TRANSVERSE TO ONE ANOTHER, THE WINDINGS OF UNDERLYING LAYERS HAVING CONVOLUTIONS ARRANGED TO PROVIDE ENDS WHICH PROJECT RELATIVE TO RESPECTIVELY OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID OUTLINE, SAID PROJECTING ENDS BEING TURNED DOWN AND CONTAINED BY THE WINDINGS OF AN OVERLYING LAYER TO CONFORM TO SAID PREDETERMINED OUTLINE. 